The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-03-10

aYou bet,D said Rawlins, looking from
Kate to her sister in undisguised admiration.
"And suppose the duty could not have
been a very pleasant one" said Mrs. Hale,
timidly, without looking at her husband.
"Gad, madam, that's just H." said the gal
liant Colonel, seating himself with a comfort
able air, and an easy, though by no means
disrespectful familiarity. 1--WE went into
this fight little more than week ago. The
only scrimmage we've had has been with the
detectives that were on the robbers track.
Ha! ha! The best people we've met have
been the friends of the men we were huntin',
and we've generally come to the conclusion
to vote the other ticket Ez Judge Hale and
ME agreed ez we came along, the two men ez
we'd most like to see just now and shake
hands with are George Lee and Ned Falk-
ner." ..., .,-
"The two leaders of the party who robbed
the coach," explained AIR. Hale, with q
slight return of bis usual precision of state
nenf.
Tie three women looked at each other will,
a blaze of thanksgiving in their grateful eyes.
Without compromising all that Col, Clinch
had said, they understood enough to know
that their late guests were safe from the
,,,,rsr;+ n. - chat marty, and that their own
conduct was spared criticism. -.rdlY dare
write it, but they instantly assumed the ap-
pearance of aggrieved martyrs, and felt as
If they werei
eyes, ladiesl" continued the colonel, in
spired by the bright eyes fixed upon him.
awe haven't taken the road ourselves yet, but
-pohn honor-we wouldn't mind doing it in
a case like this" Then with the fluent but
somewhat exaggerated phraseology of a man
trained to stump" speaking, he gave an
account of the robbery and his own con-
nection with it. He spoke of the swindling
and treachery which had undoubtedly pro-
voked Falkner to obtain restitution of his
property by an overt act of violence under
the leadership of Lee. He added that he had
learned since at Wild Cat Station that
Harkins had fed the country, that a suit had
been commenced by the Excelsior Ditch
company, and that all available property Of
Harkins had been seized by the sheriff.
'"Of course it can't be proved yet, but
there's no doubt in my mind that Lee, who
is an old friend of Ned Falkner's, got up that
money by this time-and I'm right glad of
it. can't say ez we've done much toward
it, except to keep tumbling in tile way of
that detective party of Stanner's, and SO
throw them off the trail-ha, ha! The judge
here, reckon, has had his share of fun, for
while he was at Hennickers trying to get
some facts from Hennicker's pretty daughter,
Stanner tried to get up some sort Of vigilance
committee Of the stage passengers to burn
down Hennicker's ranch out of spite, but the
judge here stepped in and stopped that"
ut was really highbanded proceeding,
Josephine, but managed to check it." said
Hale, meeting somewhat consciously the first
direct look his wife had cast upon him, and
falling back for support ON his old manner.
sin its way, think 1t was worse than the
robbery by Lee and Falkner, for it was done
in the name of law and order; while, as
far as I can judge from the facts, the affair
that we were following up was simply rude
and irregular restitution OF property that
had been morally stolen"
II have no doubt you did quite right,
though don't understand it, said Mrs Hale,
"but l trust these gentlemen will
stay to luncheon, and in the meantime excuse
us for RUNNING away, as we are short of
servants, and Manuel seems to have followed
the example of the head of the house and left
us, in pursuit Of somebody or something
When the three women had gained the
vantage ground of the drawing room, Kate
said, earnestly, "As it's all right, hadn't we
better tell him nowg"
Decidedly not, child" said Mrs. Scott, i'm
peratively. "Do you suppose they ara in
hurry to tell us their whole story! Who are
those Hennicker people. and they were there
Q week agoi"
aAnd did you notice Johns hat when be
came in, and the vulgar familiarity Of calling
him .judgee said Mrs. Hale.
swell, certainly anything like the familiar
ity of this man Clinch I never saw, said
Kate Contrast his manner with Mr.. Falk-
ne -n
At luncheon the three suffering martyrs
finally succeeded in reducing Hale and his
twofriends to an attitude of vague apology,
But their triumph was short lived AZ the end
Of the meal they were startled by The tramp
ling of hoofs without, followed by loud
knocking. In another moment thu door
was opened and Mr.. Stanner strobe into the
room. Hale rose with look of indignation
II thought, as Mr.. Stanner understood that
I had no desire for his company elsewhere, he
would hardly venture to intrude upon me in
my house, and certainly not after'-
"Ef you're alluding to the Vigilantes shakin'
you and Zeenie up at Hennicker's, you can't
make me responsible for that Tin hero now
ON bqsiness-you understand-reg'la bust
ness Ef you want 10 see the papers yer ken
suppose you know what q warrant isi'
u know what you are" said Hale holly,
and IL You don't leave INV housnn-